


Smile

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Cleaning, Fluff, M/M, Petra is Eren's Best Friend, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 12:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13927575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Eren was around Levi, it was hard for him to not feel small, despite the fact that Levi was significantly shorter. Levi was powerful. He never seemed to show any signs of distress or worry, even at a time where it was present in almost everybody else. He was calm and collected, even during the worst of battles. It was admirable, very much so, though Eren had wished that, for maybe just a small moment, he could see the Captain smile.





	Smile

When Eren was around Levi, it was hard for him to not feel small, despite the fact that Levi was significantly shorter. Levi was powerful. He never seemed to show any signs of distress or worry, even at a time where it was present in almost everybody else. He was calm and collected, even during the worst of battles. It was admirable, very much so, though Eren had wished that, for maybe just a small moment, he could see the Captain smile.

 

He didn’t know if Levi was hiding it, or if he had genuinely never been happy enough to let his lips crack from their usual straight line, but he had decided that the reason wasn’t all that important just yet. Eren had a plan, and he wasn’t going to give up easily.

 

He was going to make Levi smile.

 

At first, Eren struggled to think of anything. It started with the small things. Compliments on his work during training, sending small smiles whenever the two caught eyes, even the odd few jokes to pander towards Levi’s toilet humour. Nothing seemed to be working, however. The smaller man was as cold as ice. The most Eren would get is a little straight faced chuckle at the silly jokes, or a little nod of appreciation at a compliment.

 

Eren was growing frustrated after only a mere few hours. After training he even visited the Captain in his office, offering his favourite tea and a warm smile as he entered, though Levi just thanked him, his voice soft and tired from the long day the both of them had endured. Eren was beginning to think that he was going about this all wrong.

 

Still, he persisted. The next day, Levi had set his squad the task of cleaning. This was Eren’s time to shine. He knew Levi loved cleaning more than anything else, so he tried his absolute hardest, scrubbing at the underside of the windowsills like his life depended on it. He thought that maybe, just maybe, Levi would see how hard he had been working and gift him with a smile, though what he got was a pat on the back and a small ‘Good job, Eren.’

 

“Somebody’s working hard today. What’s gotten into you?” Petra chuckled as she entered the spotless room that Eren had been cleaning. Eren looked up from the corner, where he was making extra sure that no dust remained. He shrugged, giving a small smile to the woman before him. “Guess I was tired of the Captain nagging at me every time I did a mediocre job,” He laughed a little. It was partly true.

 

Petra extended her arm, tugging the boy up off the now shiny floor. “I don’t blame you there. We all got nagged at some point or other. Though, something tells me that's not all,” She smirked. Damn she was perceptive, Eren thought. He bit his lip, trying to think of some idiotic excuse, though nothing really came to mind.

 

“You’re blushing, Eren,” She noted, poking at Eren’s flaming cheeks with a sharp nail. “I’m not!” He was quick to defend, backing away and shielding his face from the laughing girl as she tried to pull his hands away. He remembers having this same conversation some time before, and he was guessing this one would have the exact same outcome.

 

“I know you like him, Eren! I’m pretty sure everybody knows at this point,” Petra prodded at his fingers a little more before giving up and picking up the broom that Eren had discarded on the floor previously. When Eren removed his hands, his eyes found Petra in the doorway, broom at the ready.

 

“Come on, let’s clear out the room next door,” She smiled, rushing into the next room, leaving Eren to swiftly follow, his mind racing. Everybody knows? Even Eren himself wasn’t sure of his feelings towards Captain Levi just yet. He had always thought of it more as an admiration than a love or a like.

 

He shook his head. No time for thinking about silly things like love and admiration, it was currently work hours, and he planned to work his damn hardest until the end of the day. However, when the end of the day came forth, Eren was unprepared for what was asked of him.

 

“Yeager,” Levi stood in the doorway of the dimly lit room as Eren finished off the last of his cleaning duties. Quickly he rose to his feet, his arms automatically moulding against his body in the perfect salute. “Yes, sir?” He questioned, chewing subconsciously at his lip. Maybe now was his chance.

 

“Petra spoke to me earlier,” The Captain’s brows seemed even more furrowed that usual. “and she told me something rather interesting.” Eren begun panicking, nervously fumbling with his fingers and avoiding the Captain’s eyes at all costs. Did she seriously tell him that Eren had feelings towards him?

 

“I just wanted to say,” Levi’s hand rose to rest on Eren’s shoulder. The taller boy’s mouth went dry as he blinked slowly at his Captain. “Good work, Eren. She told me you’d cleaned seven whole rooms today. I feel like maybe being in my squad is doing you some good afterall.”

 

Seven? But Eren had cleaned three? Did Petra… lie to him? Just to make Eren happy? God, he knew she was a kind soul but this… He fucking owed her one. “Thank you, Captain,” Eren mumbled, his eyes cast downwards in order to hide his stupid blush. He didn’t even know why he was blushing, but the heat in his face was unstoppable. It was only a compliment, but coming from Levi, it meant the world.

 

“You’re dismissed now. Rest well, you look like you need it,” Levi patted the boys shoulder one more time before removing his warm hand. Eren looked up from the floor to his Captain for a second and that was when he saw it. That was when he saw what he had been wishing for this entire time. He almost squealed.

 

It was all Eren needed. Even for just a moment.

 

The tiniest little smile had graced Levi’s lips as he turned to walk away.

**Author's Note:**

> If anybody would like a second chapter, please tell me. I would definitely not be opposed to writing one, I already have a few ideas.


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